Port Vale V Brighton at Vale Park : Match Preview

24 January 2014 08:31

Port Vale manager Micky Adams will have to make changes to his starting line-up when former club Brighton visit Vale Park in the FA Cup.

Joe Davis is ineligible for the fourth round tie and Carl Dickinson begins a two-match suspension after he received his 10th yellow card of the season during the league win over Oldham.

Florent Cuvelier suffered knee ligament damage on his debut against the Latics last weekend and the on-loan Sheffield United midfielder will miss the remainder of the season. His place could be taken by Chris Lines who is available again after a one-match ban, while Gavin Tomlin could also return to the squad after injury.

Adams, Brighton boss on two occasions between April 1999-October 2001 and May 2008-February 2009, has signed Billy Knott from Sunderland this week but he is cup-tied having already featured in the competition during a previous loan spell with Wycombe.

Brighton could welcome Will Buckley back into their squad.

Winger Buckley has been out for a month with hamstring trouble but is back in training and could make the bench at Vale Park.

Fellow wideman Kazenga LuaLua is also on the mend after hamstring trouble but the trip may come too soon while midfielder Andrew Crofts (knee) and strikers Craig Mackail-Smith and Will Hoskins (knee) are still out - although the latter pair are back in training after long-term absences.

Youngsters Adam Chicksen, Solly March and Jeffrey Monakana could be involved if boss Oscar Gracia opts to rest players, but Liam Bridcutt's participation remains in doubt with the midfielder angling for a move away from the club.